Super Rugby 2017 – Weekend Teams – Round 8

There is 1 game on Friday 14 April 2017 and 6 games on Saturday 15 April 2017.

Four teams have BYE weekends this week, the Highlanders, Waratahs, Western Force and Cell C Sharks.

The action kicks off on Friday with the game between the Crusaders and Sunwolves in Christchurch, at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, , 16:35 Japan Time, 07:35 GMT).

The action starts pretty early on Saturday, with the Reds hosting the Southern Kings in Brisbane at 07:05 SA Time (15:05 AEST, 05:05 GMT)

The second game of Saturday morning is when the Blues host the Hurricanes in Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).

In Australia, the Melbourne Rebels host the Brumbies in Melbourne at 11:45 SA Time (19:45 AEST, 09:45 GMT).

Then a few hours later, on Saturday afternoon, the Toyota Cheetahs host the Chiefs in Bloemfontein at 15:05 SA Time (13:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 NZ Time). The DHL Stormers host the Emirates Lions in Cape Town at 17:15 SA Time (15:15 GMT).

The last game of the Round is in Pretoria when the Vodacom Bulls host the Jaguares at 19:30 SA Time (14:05 Arg Time, 17:30 GMT).

I nominate the following winners for the Round. The Crusaders should easiliy dispatch the Sunwolves in Christchurch. I predict a win for the Reds against the Southern Kings in Brisbane early on Saturday. The Hurricanes should win away from home against the Blues in Auckland. The Brumbies should also win away from home against the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne.

On SA soil, the Chiefs should win away from home against the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. In Cape Town it becomes difficult to pick when the DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions meet, so I pick a slender win for the home side, the Stormers.

The Bulls have been so ordinary that I would not even pick them anymore for a win at home against the Jaguares, so yes a win for the Jaguares should be on the cards in Pretoria, I am afraid.